Collecting Japanese stamps
by Lois M. Evans-de Violini Director
August 15th, 2016
Why do you collect Japanese stamps?
Was it love of postal history? The beauty of the stamp? Curiosity about how the stamps were produced? A need to acquire, collect, or have something unique to you? Are you a closet collector, or do you want to show off your stuff to other collectors? What is your passion?
Some form of the questions above is what I am asked most often. The unasked part of that question is why Japan instead of the stamps of the US, Canada, Great Britain or another English speaking country.
The question is difficult to answer because there were many reasons. My father was a stamp collector. He collected US, Canada, and Great Britain. I wanted something different and unique. I wanted beauty, history, a challenge to my mind, and a collection that would be uniquely mine.
Then I purchased a dragon stamp. It took a great deal of effort and many months to discover whether this stamp was a forgery or genuine. It was declared genuine by a US expertising service. I had a genuine certificate. But I still questioned the status of the stamp, I didn’t like the way it looked. It was long before the internet, so I don’t remember how, but I found the ISJP and sent the stamp to their expert at the time. It was declared a “common forgery.” It was a common forgery and thus started my desire to learn how to know what was genuine or forged for myself.
The early issues are challenging. The early postal history is entwined with the postal history of the US, Great Britain, France and other countries. Japanese stamps throughout all the years are some of the most intricate and beautiful in the world. These stamps have history and uniqueness. Japan has some of the most interesting aspects of postal history, and production. The designs tell a story of a nation.
What other country in the world produced their first issues of stamps by hand etching each position separately on copper plates of 40 stamps. I have never counted the number of plates that were produced this way, but I know there were over 100 plates for the stamps. Also, there were postal stationery plates of a different size produced this way as well. That makes over 4000 different designs intricately hand etched from 1871 to1876. In my opinion, the work in those early issues in incredible and beautiful. Take a look at the graphic below of the stamp in Plate 2, position 27 of the 48 mon stamp issued in 1871. This stamp is called the “Mikazuki Ryu” or crescent moon dragon. 1. Is the big curved slip that gives the stamp its name. 2. Is a much small slip which is hard to see. 3. Is a black plate crack.
Each individual stamp in these phates can be identified like this in some way.
Later issues have a different kind of beauty, but beauty is always there.
So my readers, I ask, ” Why do you collect Japanese stamps? What are your favorite stamps?”
Good afternoon, Lois:
First of all I wish you and yours are well and with home unharmed from the 2024-2025 California Wild Fires. We have family near Los Angeles and keep up with them. Hope everything is well with you.
I first made contact with you in June 2019 upon our arrival in California from a trip to Japan. (There were two tremors while we were there.) Both, my wife and I, fell in love with Japan. I immediately began collecting Japan Art postage stamps, and began a series of black ink miniature drawings. That is why I contacted you.
Today I need help with a specific question. I am creating a Japan Art on Postage Stamps album, similar to one I created for France Art on Postage Stamps. Defining whether the early Japanese postage stamps represent art on stamps is difficult. I feel that most of the early postage stamps from Japan are truly artistic in their graphic design and engravings, showing images of objects of great cultural values and symbolism: the plum trees and flowers, the doves, the phoenix, the thrones, shrines, temples, etc.
One of those stamps is the 1920 commemorative of the First Japanese Modern Census, Sc 159-160, showing an image of Emperor Tenji, who continued the Taika Reforms initiated by Emperor Kotoku in 645 AD.
I am interested in knowing what the Japanese inscription on the postage stamp says.
I have done some research to determine the origin of the image on the postage stamp unsuccessfully. I found that it is Emperor Tenji. The image is a variant of that appearing on the badge (and later on a medal) census takers wore identifying them as officers of the government.
Any information will be greatly appreciated.
Sincerely,
Robert G. Brito
PS: We forget how much information those small tax labels carry!